“You really want me?” asked the girl.
“Absolutely!” replied Mary Louise. “You’re going to go to high school this fall, I hope, and belong to our crowd of young people. All the boys and girls like you.”
Elsie’s face lighted up with a happy smile.
“And I like them, too—but you and Jane will always come first. Oh, I’m so glad that Jane will believe in me again!”
Ten minutes later the two girls and Mr. Gay were seated in the bus bound for Riverside. Mary Louise held Silky in her arms under her pack when she got in, and the conductor did not even notice him. She was thankful for that, because she was much too tired to walk.
They went straight to the Gays’ home, taking Elsie with them. Mrs. Gay was sitting on the front porch, little thinking that her two adventurers would return so soon. She jumped up in delight when she saw them coming in at the gate.
“And is this Elsie?” she asked as the three tired wanderers ascended the porch steps.
“Yes, Mother, this is Elsie Grant,” replied Mary Louise. “We found her, and we caught the thief too. It was the gypsy fortune teller.”
“Well, of all things!” exclaimed Mrs. Gay. “And had she kidnaped Elsie too?”
“Oh no, Elsie went there voluntarily, because everybody suspected her of the crime, and she was unhappy. But Elsie had no idea the gypsy was the thief, until she heard us accusing her.”